Mr. T still treasures the memory of stepping into the ring at the first WrestleMania, and he wanted to give wrestling fans a performance worthy of the occasion.

Speaking with Heart As Art at Fan Expo Chicago, the WWE Hall of Famer recalled the atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden and the famous faces who helped make the event unforgettable.

“Oh, yeah. That was wild. I will never forget that. Madison Square Garden, you know? Packed arena. We got Liberace, we got Muhammad Ali, we got all the people. We got all the wrestlers, top names. I said me, I’m in there, I’m a part of this here. Awesome again, because I want to give my best performance. Because the world’s going to be watching, and now they can play back and see WrestleMania I.”

For Mr. T, the opportunity came with a responsibility to respect the wrestlers sharing the spotlight. He wanted to earn his place by putting in the work and contributing something meaningful.

“It was another big honor. Because I remember coming in. I told him, I said ‘I said I’m going to work real hard for you. I’m trying to, I’m gonna carry the torch. I didn’t come here to make a mockery of wrestling and this and that. So, I want to come in that, you requested, you want me. So, I want to bring something to the game. I’m gonna carry my own, I’m gonna work hard. You just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll adjust.’ So, I was honored to be with the other great wrestlers.”

His memories reflect just how much being part of the first WrestleMania meant to him, from the packed crowd to the chance to stand alongside wrestling’s biggest names.